Until then, the board has approved an independent audit of the school's contracts and named past President William Harris as interim president.

During the meeting, the trustees hedged on the issue of Silver's future at the school, citing the recent death of the embattled president's mother as the primary reason for the delay.

Hushed whispers swept the crowded meeting room when Dean announced the board had been notified late Thursday of the death of Silver's mother.

"Given the news, our board will not consider the primary item of our agenda today related to Dr. Silver. In my opinion, it would not be appropriate, and even more, it would not be respectful. Those discussions can wait until a later date," Dean said.

Silver declined to comment at the meeting, but issued a statement through his attorneys the he was concerned by the board's decision to appoint an interim president, an action he called "premature."

He also took issue with the board's reasoning behind delaying action on his future with the university, saying he appreciated the sentiment, but he told the board through attorney's that any matter related to his personnel status should not be delayed because of his mother's death.

"I did, however, ask for a delay of action in order to exercise the due process clause of my contract," he said, adding he was pleased by Bentley's request for an outside audit.

In an apparent reaction to Silver's charges that he was being curbed for asking questions about suspicious spending practices at the school, the board unanimously approved a resolution calling for an independent audit of all university contracts.

That resolution stated the audit was to "separate fact from fiction surrounding contract and other financial issues" and to "provide the public with a level of confidence
that the university follows all statutes and university policies related to the
issuance of contracts."

Gov. Robert Bentley, who serves as president of the board and who delayed consideration of personnel actions related to Silver until he could attend the meeting in person, was apparently the driving force behind the audit.

"The issue before all of us now is to do what is best for
Alabama State University," he said. "Toward, that end Chairman Dean has agreed with me
that an independent and comprehensive financial audit of this university will
be conducted immediately."

Bentley gave no indication of his position on the board's decision Monday to place Silver on paid administrative leave. Bentley said he has spoken with Silver to "gain his perspective."

The audit will be conducted by Warren Averett Wilson Price in Montgomery, according to the resolution.

In a final decision, the trustees voted 7-2 to appoint past university President William Harris to serve as interim president.

Trustees Locy Baker and Alfreda Green dissented on that issue. After the meeting Baker said he opposed it because it was the first he had heard of it, but he would reverse his vote if the decision were presented again.

Trustee Buford Crutcher made the motion, which was seconded by Trustee Marvin Wiggins.

The decision, which came without discussion, resulted in chants of "no
Harris" and "we want Silver" from dozens of students gathered outside
the meeting room.

"To be completely honest, it sounds outrageous," said sophomore Barry Davis after the meeting. "We've had President Silver here for two months and he's treated the students like his own children.

"To have a a president come back on campus who didn't do anything like that, it sounds ridiculous, and the students will do what we have to do in order to get Silver back."

Most of the students attempting to attend the meeting were blocked by police who said the room was already at its maximum capacity.

"They think they're doing what's right, and that's alright,
they're children, but we respect them," he said, referencing a week of demonstrations attended by hundreds of students and some faculty. "They need to know that this board knows
that they're the first priority of this university."

He also said Harris would be helping them at the school for "a few weeks" and declined to say why the board placed Silver on leave.

Harris replaces Rep. John Knight Jr., D-Montgomery, the university's executive vice president and chief operating officer, who had been temporarily placed as president on Monday.